Jim Beal Jr.: Welcome back, Bugs & Benno

Back in the day, it wasn't unusual to find two North Texas guitar slingers/singers/songwriters making blues/rock music together billed as Bugs & Benno.

Saturday, Bugs Henderson and Marc Benno will again team, sharing the bill at Sam's Burger Joint when Benno and his all-star band open for Henderson and his Shuffle Kings. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Based in the Hill Country, Benno is headed back into the music whirl full time after toiling as a substance-abuse counselor. A versatile singer, songwriter and guitarist, Benno has a dazzling résumé, having worked with Lightnin' Hopkins, Leon Russell, The Doors, Eric Clapton and a very young Stevie Ray Vaughan. With songs such as “Lost in Austin” and “Rock & Roll Me Again,” Benno has chops, range and enough experience for several artists.

“Am I a singer/songwriter? I can do that. But I can also play electric with a blues band,” Benno said. “It's a strange thing trying to get back into the music business. I need to find my niche.”

While he's likely outlived half his original audience, Benno, 64, is going at the blues side of his trip full force with an equally experienced band — Spot Barnett (saxophones), Linda Waring (drums), Barrett Beach (bass) and Lewis Stevens (keyboards).

“We'll do blues classics and originals, including a lot of songs from the ‘I Got It Bad' CD. And I'll do ‘Lost in Austin.' I've been developing two different shows, one acoustic. This will not be that,” Benno added, laughing.

You can bet Henderson and his Shuffle Kings also will fire up and turn loose the electric blues.

Thursday night at Sam's there'll be blues and blues/rock courtesy of the Charlie Montague Band and Stacie Collins. Pay close attention to Collins. Based in Nashville, the harp-blowing singer and songwriter belts out a fusion of blues, rock and roadhouse twang. Listen for selections from her latest disc, “Sometimes Ya Gotta.”

Choffel's soul

It's not impossible to bring indie pop and soul together. In fact, when you hear Suzanna Choffel sing, you'll know it's a fine idea. An Austin native (yes, there are a few), Choffel grew up making music and cultivating an interest in jazz, pop, world music and more.

With her new CD, “Steady Eye Shaky Bow,” Choffel wraps positive lyrics in music that ranges from brassy to sassy to introspective. A first-class singer, Choffel has the kind of voice that commands attention; the kind of voice that makes listeners shut up for fear they'll miss something. And that smoky, soulful voice, mixed with indie-pop and jazz sensibilities, provides a beautiful vehicle for her words. Choffel will celebrate the release of her CD Friday at Luna. Doors open at 8 p.m. Showtime is 9:30.

Happy birthday, Bob

San Antone Café & Concerts will stage its final show Tuesday, the annual Bob Dylan Birthday Bash, during which area singers and songwriters will pay their birthday respects to the wordsmith with all manner of his songs. Here's the lineup at deadline: The Infidels, Texas Medicine, Bett Butler, Mitch Webb, Steve James, Claude “Butch” Morgan, GB Valentine, Marcus Rubio, Matthew Rose, The Krayolas, The Mystery Tramps, Chris Taylor and Flying Bourbon Brothers. Showtime is 8 p.m. in the old church. There'll be a buffet in the Café. Cover charge is $15. Proceeds benefit the St. Paul Lutheran Child Development Center.

Jim Beal Jr.'s Night Lights covers the area music scene. He also plays bass in the local band Miss Neesie & the Ear Food Orchestra. Send e-mail to jbeal@express-news.net. Beal is the host of the “Third Coast Music Network” show from 3-7 p.m. Thursdays on KSYM, 90.1 FM. Check the Music Beat blog at mySA.com; @jimbealjr on Twitter.